12 Days of Stalka
by Tangled4ever
Summary: A collection of Christmas-themed one-shots about Stoick the Vast and his beloved Valka. Merry Christmas Stalka shippers.
1. I Didn't Marry You for Your Cooking

**Merry Christm- Wait, no this is the HTTTYD fandom… HAPPY SNOGGLETOG EVERYONE! I hope your holidays are filled with love, light, laughter, and of course, dragons. ;) To celebrate the holiday season, I will be posting this 12-piece Christmas themed one-shot series as a little Christmas present for my loyal readers and fellow Stalka shippers. :)**

 **The idea for this came from my good friend MrsAvanJogia (she also writes How to Train Your Dragon fics on here, check her out when you have a chance). I also follow her on Tumblr, where she happened to reblog a list of super cute Christmas AU's. I've been a little low on creativity lately having just finished school, so I thought '** _ **what better way to get back into it than with some Christmas themed Stalka fics?**_ **'**

 **I will be posting one of these a day from today (December 14th) until Christmas day. The story details for each will be as shown below. Enjoy, and happy holidays! :D**

 **Set Universe: Modern AU**

 **Age Range: Valka = 18, Stoick = 23**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "Hi, we're neighbours and omg are you alright? I could smell cooking burning - whoa now that's just embarrassing - step aside, I'll handle this..."**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **I Didn't Marry You for Your Cooking**

And to think, everything had been going _perfectly_ … Seriously, for once in her life it had looked like she was _actually_ going to cook something _without_ it ending in disaster. After all, it was just gingerbread right? Ha, _'just gingerbread'_ …

' _Combine flours, ginger, cinnamon, sugar and chopped butter in a food processor.'_

After carefully measuring the accurate amounts of each, she thoroughly combined them, until she was left only with breadcrumbs.

' _Whisk golden syrup and eggs together, and add to mixture.'_

That had been surprisingly easy. She'd even surprised herself with the lack of eggshell that ended up in the mixture.

' _Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.'_

By far the messiest step, but having managed to successfully make the dough – which by her standards was an accomplishment on its own – she allowed herself to have just a little fun with it. She'd even had time while it was chilling to finish the latest novel she'd been struggling to keep her nose out of.

' _Roll until 5mm thick, cut into shapes, and bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees C.'_

The sudden burst of hot air in her face didn't even bother her as she slipped the trays of assorted trees, stars, gift boxes and candy canes into the oven. As of that moment, all she'd have to do was keep a dragon's eye on the timer, and she'd have a batch of perfect gingerbread.

But as if it was her curse to turn functioning kitchens into disaster zones, things took a terrible turn for the worst. She'd only turned her back for a few minutes at most to look for the food colouring and sugar pearls she'd bought, but that was enough time for her oven to start bellowing smoke…

Suddenly consumed with panic, Valka shoved the bottles in her hands onto the counter, racing over to the oven. Without thinking, she quickly yanked the oven door open. In that moment, a large cloud of thick, black smoke erupted in front of her.

In her haste to avoid it, Valka stumbled back, crashing to the floor. Smoke continued to ooze from her oven, as Cloudjumper, her beloved tan German shepherd, crawled to her side, barking loudly.

" _Help!_ " the brunette screamed, coughing from the thick haze covering her ceiling. " _Somebody! Please,_ _ **help**_ _!"_

Cloudjumper whimpered as her owner started growing faint, desperately trying to keep her awake. As the world around her began to fade, Valka could just make out a loud crash somewhere in the house, before everything went black…

* * *

When she finally came to, she discovered she was no longer lying on her kitchen floor, but safely on the lounge room sofa. Slowly getting up, she waited for any sign of pain, but was relieved to find that none appeared.

"Cloudjumper?"

Walking into the dining room, she was immediately met by her faithful companion, who was clearly glad to see her.

"Glad to see you're up…"

Quickly spinning around, she felt the air being sucked from her lungs. Standing in her kitchen was a tall, muscular man wearing fluorescent yellow pants and a navy t-shirt, his fiery red hair pulled back into a short ponytail and a short beard stretching round his jaw. In short, he was gorgeous.

Nevertheless, she still raised an eyebrow at him, "Uh, who are you?"

He smiled warmly at her, enough so to melt her heart, "Name's Stoick; we're neighbours. I was putting up my Christmas lights when I smelt smoke coming from inside your house…"

Valka blushed a little, returning his smile, "Thank you, for saying my life… I'm Valka."

"I know," he chuckled. "You came to for a little bit earlier. Not long, but enough for me to catch your name and make sure you were ok."

She didn't really know what to say to him, which he must have noticed as he tried to start a conversation.

"So, what were you making? By the time I put the fire out, whatever it was was unrecognisable."

"Gingerbread… It was supposed to be a Christmas present for my brother…" she replied. "I should have _known_ this would happen. Whenever I try to cook something that _doesn't_ come from a can or a cardboard box it always ends in catastrophe…"

Stoick gave her a sympathetic look, trying to lift her spirits, "I'm sure you're not that bad…"

"I assure you I am. When I was 16 I gave my big brother such severe food poisoning he had to spend the night in hospital. I'd been reading a novel set in the Viking age at the time, so he put on his best Nordic accent and said ' _my meatballs kill more beasts than a battle axe_ '…"

He struggled to bite back a laugh, but quickly recovered. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok, I'm used to it…"

"Why don't you try a cooking class?"

Valka cringed, reluctant to relive that memory, "I did once, after the meatball incident. I only went three times, but every one of them was a complete disaster. The first time I accidentally scowled my cooking partner, the second I made the teacher sick, and the third I started a stove fire. After that, the teacher told me she was done wasting her time on me and threw me out. I was so ashamed I gave up cooking all together."

The room was silent for a moment.

"If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't your fault this time. There was a mechanical fault that caused the oven temperature to rise far higher than the one you set it to," Stoick explained. "Eventually it got so high that it caused an internal explosion, and the fire was only fuelled by the gingerbread."

"I'm guessing it can't be repaired?"

"I'm afraid not. The whole thing will have to be replaced."

Valka sighed, worry clear on her face, "I can't believe this... I'm not broke by any means, but all my budgeting has been for moving into my own place and buying Christmas presents. I love my job at the animal shelter, but it will be weeks before I can afford a new one."

"In that case, I'll buy one for you," Stoick smiled.

A soft blush threatened to appear on her face, "I couldn't ask you to do that…"

"You're not asking. I'm offering," he persisted. "I'll take you out on Boxing Day, we can make the most of the sales, and you can pay me back in time."

"Thank you…" Valka smiled, touched by the random act of kindness, before heaving a sigh, "I guess I'll be stuck with take-out for the next week…"

"No you won't. You said yourself that you don't get much variety in your diet, so until your new oven's installed, you and Cloudjumper can have dinner at my place."

"Stoick-"

Stoick held up a hand, stopping her excuse before it left her lips, "I insist. Let me treat you to some nice, home-cooked meals for a change…

Valka smiled, not quiet wanting to admit the soft flutter in her heart, "Has anyone ever told you you're a really great guy?"

Stoick just chuckled, gazing into her aqua-coloured eyes. She'd never know it, but as her eyes shimmered like Christmas lights, he was silently asking a similar question: ' _Has anyone ever told her how beautiful she is?_ '

Valka blushed, forcing her gaze away from his handsome green orbs, "I, uh… I only just noticed how smoky it still is in here…"

"Well then, why don't we get some more ingredients and have another go at that gingerbread?" he suggested, offering her his hand.

Blushing even more, she took it, smiling like a lovesick school girl, "Ok."

With that, he happily led her out, unaware just how ecstatic he looked. As they made their way out, Cloudjumper gave him a quick sniff, wagging her tail in approval. ' _Yes, he'll do nicely…_ '

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Day 1 complete. (: Please note that I only included parts of the recipe for story purposes, so if anyone's planning on making gingerbread after this, I suggest you find an actual recipe… ;)**

 **Since I know someone is about to point this out, I am fully aware Cloudjumper is a male, and that Valka is bound to be able to tell the difference. I have a headcanon where in a modern AU, Thornado and a female Cloudjumper (who are like siblings to their respective owners) would be the parents of Toothless, which would essentially make him and Hiccup like brothers. :)**

 **Anyway, please let me know what you think. Your reviews are like my Christmas presents, so I hope to hear your thought. See you tomorrow…**


	2. Oh Christmas Tr- Wait

**Hello again. I'm back for Day 2! Thank you to my dad and midnightsky0612 for reviewing. I hope to see a couple more in the future… :)**

 **Set Universe: Modern AU**

 **Age Range: Valka = 20, Stoick = 30**

 **Featured Christmas AU: Tree decorating**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Oh Christmas Tr- Wait, that's a Christmas Tree?**

 _Chief Stephen Haddock_

 _Berk Police Department, Minnesota_

 _December 6th_

 _S. Haddock BPD_

Stoick sighed in relief, closing the file. It had taken a lot of hard work, but he had finally caught up with his paperwork. OK, so it was _so_ difficult… Berk was a pretty small town, and its sense of community was far higher than others across the country, which meant the crime rate was extremely low. The only real issue was the town's short tempers and 'alcohol enthusiasts'.

Ordinarily he wouldn't even be behind in the first place, but this had been a special year for him. After much begging last Christmas to her father, he'd managed to convince him to let him have the hand of his girlfriend of two-and-a-half years. They'd married late last spring before a small group of their closest friends and family, before a nice long honeymoon. Not three weeks after they got back, she'd surprised him with the news of their first child, who was due to arrive late-February/early-March next year. All in all, it had been the craziest, best year of his life, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Stretching his tired muscles, he rose from his desk chair. After quickly clearing his desk, he grabbed his coat and walked out his office. Most of the officers had gone home for the day, but a couple of close friends were still there hanging lights and tinsel.

"Afternoon, lads," he greeted them cheerfully as he tugged on his coat, receiving a few greetings back.

Finn Hofferson, who was sitting at his desk, put down the phone and gave him a smirk, "Stoick, I mean this with the greatest of respect, but your wife has stranger cravings than my sister-in-law.

Stoick chuckled. One thing he hadn't quite been expecting when she announced her pregnancy was the long list of bizarre food combinations she suddenly found so appetising. ' _Cheese, lettuce and grape sandwiches. Pancakes with spearmint syrup instead of chocolate. Strawberries in warm cheese sauce._ ' And those were just to name a few…

"Alright, what does she want this time?" he smiled.

"Chocolate chips. Not as in cookies or muffins or anything; bags of baking chocolate chips…"

"That's not too bad, she's asked for things far weirder than that."

Simon – or Spitelout to his friends – shuddered, looking purely disgusted, "I still can't believe my _sister_ is having a baby with my _boss_!"

Gobber laughed, "Just think, this time four years ago we were happily watching Spitelout berate our own police chief for making goo-goo eyes at his little sister."

"Yeah," Finn agreed. "That was one of the funniest things that's ever happened around here…"

Stoick rolled his eyes in amusement, walking towards the front, "Well, I best be off. See you tomorrow lads."

"See ya Stoick!"

"Watch out for the fresh snow!"

" _No kissing my sister!_ "

* * *

Stepping inside, Stoick closed the front door, hanging up his coat. Soft Christmas music flowed through the house, accompanied by its homely warmth. The sound of jangling metal caught his attention, and he looked down to see his wife's golden retriever trotting over to him.

"Hey boy," he smiled, reaching down to scratch him behind his ear. "You been talking care of our best girl?"

Cloudjumper barked happily, running back into the lounge room. Stoick followed him, and there she was; her hair in its usual braids, a bright smile on her face, and her belly round and filled with the same love and life that harboured in her eyes.

Upon seeing him, Valka's smile widened, and his heart melted. "Finally! We've been missing you…"

Stoick chuckled, pouring a packet of dark chocolate chips into a dish, "Sorry love, but I did manage to finish my paperwork. So I might be able to get a few extra days off…"

"Sounds great," she blushed as he walked up to her, taking the dish and giving him a quick kiss. "I've checked all the bulbs on the lights; they're all working."

"Thanks," he smiled, helping her stand up.

"I just need to go to the bathroom, then I'll come help… You go ahead and start with the lights."

Stoick watched her go, secretly admiring her beauty. She was undoubtedly the best thing that ever happened to him…

Assembling the tree didn't take two minutes, but after that, he couldn't quite figure out where to start.

"Everything ok?" Valka asked, standing beside him five minutes later.

"Oh yeah… I'm just not quite sure where to start…"

"Don't tell me you don't celebrate Christmas…" She wrapped her arms around his waist, although it was fairly difficult with his muscle and her baby bump.

"I do. I just… I just don't decorate for it anymore…"

There was no mistaking the sudden change in his tone. Like he'd suddenly been reminded of some terrible heartache years before.

"Stephen, tell me?" she pressed gently, giving him a look that said ' _let me be here for you_ …'.

Stoick sighed. It was hard for him to talk about, but she was the love of his life, and she deserved the truth.

"My mother always had very mild OCD. Nothing life-altering, but there were little things that irritated her, like labels sticking out of clothing," he began. "When I was 10, my parents and I were decorating the tree, and I decided to put the star on slightly crooked, as a game... She just smiled and got on the stool to straighten it, but then she got this look on her face like she'd forgotten something. Next thing we knew she just collapsed and hit her head on the floor. It turned out later that she'd had a minor heart attack, but the fall left her with a memory disorder…"

Valka listened quietly, giving him her full attention.

"She still has the majority of her memories from before, but she struggles to make new ones like she used to. I felt like it was all my fault, and every time she couldn't remember something I just started crying. Eventually she and my father decided to send her to a nursing home. I still visit her, but I'm reluctant to tell her about things going on in my life because I know how much it hurts her when she can't remember later…"

She didn't respond for the longest time, but eventually asked, calmly and understandingly, "She doesn't know about me, does she?"

"No… I thought it would be best for both of you, but now… I think I was wrong…"

Valka smiled softly, tenderly cupping his cheek.

"I tell you what… Let's decorate this tree, then tomorrow, you can take me to meet your mother…"

"Valka, are you sure?" he asked uncertainly, taking her hands in his.

"Yes," she smiled, squeezing his hands gently.

Smiling at her with all the love in the world, he picked up the bundle of carefully wound lights. "Where do we start?"

* * *

Later that evening, the pair were happily cuddled up on the sofa, the room lit only by the crackling fireplace and the perfectly decorated tree. Their united hearts were full of joy as they leaned in close, sharing a deep, passionate kiss.

Deep within her stomach, their baby started to squirm. Something was making his mummy really happy, and he wanted to know what…

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **BABY HICCUP REFERENCE! :D Hope you enjoyed that… ;)**

 **I'm not sure if anyone else is having the same problem, but my Stats graph isn't recording my story views, so I have no idea how many people are actually reading this fic. So please, please send me your reviews so I can get a rough idea. Thank you. (:**


	3. Uh, I Think my Eyes are Frozen

**Time for Day 3! :) This will be the first of the one-shots set in the movie universe, but hopefully it will be just as cute…**

 **Ok, one thing I do need to mention is Gobber. In Riders of Berk episode 7, Stoick says he met Gobber sometime after he and Valka married, but in the art book it says they were childhood friends. So for any of these one-shots set in the movie franchise, I'll be going with the art book. :)**

 **Set Universe: Prior-Film Franchise**

 **Age Range: Valka = 12, Stoick = 22**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "We were playing in the snow and you suddenly tackled me to the ground and now… we're just… starring… at each other…"**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Uh, I Think my Eyes are Frozen…**

Laughter rang out through the snow covered forest. The entire village was preparing for Snoggletog, so it wasn't too difficult for the three boys to sneak away from the hustle and bustle.

"Come on you guys!" the oldest, 27-year-old Gobber, shouted back to his friends. "I'm missing two limbs and I'm still moving faster than you!"

Sharing a smirk, Stoick and Alvin – both 22 years old – pushed themselves onwards, quickly catching up.

"You were saying?" Stoick laughed, giving Alvin a secret smile.

Taking the hint, Alvin ran ahead, stopping beside a large pine tree covered in snow. Stoick passed him with ease, but as Gobber followed, Alvin punched the thick trunk, causing a massive pile of snow to fall on his head.

Gobber popped his head out the snow, glaring at his friends as they fell to the ground laughing, "Oh _yes_ , how _mature_. I'm sure Chief would _love_ to hear all about it…"

"Ah, come on Gobber!" Alvin smirked as he and Stoick got back to their feet. "Can't you take a joke?"

As he spoke, Stoick could just make out nearing footsteps crunching in the snow, then ' _snap_ '. The sound of a twig breaking loudly caught the trio's attention. All three stood in perfect silence, waiting for another sound, before hearing a small sneeze behind a nearby boulder.

Slowly drawing his bludgeon, Stoick crept up to the boulder, weapon raised and ready to strike. But at the last second, he was met with a terrified scream, and quickly retracted the blow.

" _For the love of Thor Valka!_ _ **I could have killed you!**_ " he shouted, more panicked than angry.

Valka cowered at his tone, slowly looking back at him, "Thank you… for not killing me…"

"What are you doing here?" the future chief asked, tossing his weapon onto the soft snow as Alvin helped her up.

"I was just looking for something to do…" she replied shyly, avoiding his gaze. "I wanted to have a snowball fight with Spitelout, but he was too busy…"

A small smile tugged at his lips. He'd secretly always been quite fond of Spitelout's younger sister, and he couldn't deny she was rather cute when she got all shy like this…

"We'll play with you."

"Really?" she asked, looking at him hopefully.

"Sure," Alvin chimed in. "Watch this…"

Stoick turned to face him, only to receive a snowball in the face. And from there, the war began. No teams. No allies. Just four young Vikings battling for a single shot at glory. As much as the boys hated to admit it, Valka was definitely winning. Her slim, agile figure meant she could easily dodge their attacks, whereas their large, muscled bodies made for easy targets. But fortunately, what they lacked in agility, they made up for in speed and accuracy.

Determined to improve their chances, Gobber made a firmly packed snowball, and aimed it straight at her. Valka managed to dodge the snowball, but lost her balance, screaming in pain as she hit the ground.

" _ **VAL!**_ "

Dropping the unfinished snowball in his hands, Stoick raced to her side, carefully getting down on the ground beside her, "Are you alright?"

"I- I'm not sure…" she replied ' _painfully_ ', clutching at the snow beneath her hands.

"Hold on…" Taking her hand, he carefully helped her to her feet. What he didn't see was the hand she kept behind her back. Without warning, she whipped her free hand round, slapping a lump of cold, white snow against his cheek.

Alvin and Gobber cracked up laughing as their friend squirmed, while Valka took the opportunity to dart out of his reach.

"That does it!" Beaming widely, Stoick chased after her, quickly catching up to her. Grabbing her by the waist, he tackled her to the ground, making sure she landed on his chest.

The pair laughed, not a care in the world. But when they looked deep into each other's eyes, the whole world and everything in it seemed to fade away. He'd always thought she was rather pretty, but this was the first time he'd had the chance to _really_ look into her eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of aqua he had ever seen, like the ocean on a bright, cloudless day. So beautiful in fact that he just couldn't stop staring at her.

Only when Alvin loudly cleared his throat did the two come back to the real world, both scrambling to their feet.

"I better go, it's getting late…" Valka took a couple steps back, a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

Stoick nodded, trying to hide his disappointment, "Y-yeah… Ok. I'll see you soon."

She gave him a soft smile, before running off back to the village. Once she was out of sight, Gobber and Alvin started laughing all over again.

"This is pure _gold_!"

"You've got a crush on _12-year-old_?!"

Stoick just ignored them, smiling in the direction she'd left. Maybe she was 12 now. He could wait a few years…

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Oooh, Stoick has a crush… on a 12-year-old… I wish Dreamworks would tell us how they fell in love. What I wouldn't sit through to hear that story… :D**

 **So you all know, I'm going to see the new Star Wars movie with Dad tomorrow (Dad you owe me a mint choc-top! (; ) so I might be a little late posting, but I will do my best. :)**


	4. Santa the Secret Matchmaker

**Hello dragon-lovers! I'm back for Day 4 of my Christmas Stalka fic. This is a particularly special one for me, as this will be the first appearance of my OC character Freya-Rose Titanica Haddock, daughter of Valka Haddock and Stoick the Vast. :D I have a couple other fics planned with her in them, but they're stories for another day. ;) But when I saw this on the list, I just to do. Hope you like it as much as I do…**

 **Oh, and just so everyone knows Shaun is Snotlout, Reagan is Ruffnut and Thomas is Tuffnut. Ok, that's it. (:**

 **Set Universe: Modern AU**

 **Age Range: Valka = 26, Stoick = 36**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "We took our kids to Santa's Workshop and they both wished we would get together."**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Santa the Secret Matchmaker**

" _Look guys, it's Hiccup!"_

" _Hey Useless, where's your lunch? I'm hungry!"_

" _Is that a book? You're such an egghead!"_

" _Actually, it's a book for writing down ideas…"_

" _Wow, that's- oh wait! I don't care!"_

" _You're pathetic."_

" _Yeah, you're pathetic!"_

" _No wonder your mummy didn't want you…"_

" _ **Stop it!**_ _"_

 _A single voice rang out above the sea of taunts. It was small and scared, but it was there all the same, and that was what really mattered…_

 _The three bullies turned, glaring at a little girl their age. Her long hair was a fiery red, and her eyes aqua like the sea._

" _What are you doing here Prey?" the leader – Shaun Jorgenson – asked, crossing his arms._

 _The little girl said nothing, and Shaun gave up, leaving with his friends Thomas and Reagan._

" _I'm sorry about Shaun. He's the worst cousin ever…" she apologised as he got to his feet._

" _It's ok… I'm Hamish."_

" _Freya-Rose," she smiled. "But you can call me Frey…"_

 _Hamish smiled back. A nickname. This must mean he'd just made a friend…_

* * *

Ever since that day, the two children had been the best of friends. More like siblings actually... Every day at school, the pair would sit at the same double-desk at the front of the room, and spend every lunch and recess together. Pretty soon, they knew everything about each other. Well, _almost_ everything…

"What are you giving your mummy and daddy for Christmas?"

Little Frey bowed her head sadly. Of course he didn't know, but it was still a painful reminder…

"I don't have a daddy…" she replied, still not looking up.

"You don't?"

Freya-Rose shook her head, "No. Mummy says he left before I was born…"

Hamish felt a tug in his heart, along with the need to show her he understood.

"I've never had a mummy either," he admitted. "Daddy says he wasn't ready to be a mummy when she had me…"

"Really?" she asked, finally looking up. He nodded, and a wide smile appeared on her face, "This is great!"

"It is?"

"Think about it… We're best friends, I don't a daddy, you don't have a mummy, and our parents are both single. If we get them together…" she trailed off, giving him a knowing smile.

"Then we really _will_ be brother and sister!" Hamish beamed.

"Perfect! Now, all we need is a plan to get them to meet…"

The two were silent for a long moment, before both exclaimed, "I've got it!"

* * *

"Really Hamish, I don't see why I need to wait with you…"

"But it hasn't started yet! And I want you to meet my friend…"

Stephen chuckled. He wasn't sure why his son had insisted on coming to this Santa's workshop, but it was nice to know he'd finally made a friend.

"You'd really like her…"

"Wait a minute… ' _Her_ '?" Stephen asked, suddenly taking an interest into this 'friend' as a knowing smirk formed on his face. "You didn't tell me your friend's a girl…"

Being the kid he was, Hamish didn't notice his father's tease, his attention on something else. "Frey!"

Stephen watched as his son ran to meet a little girl about his age a few metres away, giving her a hug. The two then greeted each other with their own special handshake, which included a dragon-like ' _rawr_ ' at the end, but he quickly lost interest when he saw the girl's mother. She was clearly quite a bit younger than he was, but she was simply stunning in every way, and her thin, black-framed glasses made her completely irresistible.

"Daddy, Freya-Rose's mummy is here to do Christmas shopping," Hamish informed him as he and his friend came back over to him. "Just like you!"

"Maybe you could shop together…"

The two children did their best to hide their smiles, but their true intentions were obvious.

Her mother laughed warmly, then looked straight at him, "Shall we?"

Words deserted him, but he managed to smile and give her a nod. After saying goodbye to their kids, the pair walked off.

"I'm Valka, by the way…"

"Stephen…"

* * *

Stephen couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled this much around a woman. He'donly ever been in love once – with Hamish's mother – but that didn't last. After she'd given birth, she'd forced him to choose between their marriage and his son, and he hadn't thought twice about who to pick. Since then, he'd never met anyone willing to take on the responsibility of 'step-mother'. But maybe that had just changed…

"There you are!"

Stephen and Valka smiled at the woman running the Santa's workshop as they walked over to her.

"Were they too much trouble?"

"Not at all." The lady chuckled, "They're a very creative pair. I set up a bunch of art and crafts supplies in plastic picnic bowls on the table and told the kids they could use anything on the table to make a gift for someone special…"

"What did they do?" Valka asked.

"Emptied two of the bowls and made each other Viking helmets…" she smiled. "Santa stopped by to hear the kids' Christmas wishes. When it got to Hamish's turn, he took Freya-Rose's hand, and the two of them told him they wished that the two of you would get together…"

Stephen and Valka shared a look. There was no denying how close their children were, or how close they wanted the two of them to be. And in truth, both would be lying if they said they didn't feel a spark…

Sure enough, the two kids ran over to them, plastic picnic-bowl helmets – hers purple, his green – on their heads.

"How did it go?"

"Do you like each other?"

"Are you going to go on a date?"

Stephen looked at Valka, a smile creeping to his lips, "How does next Friday night sound?"

Valka smiled back, not noticing their kids' thrilled looks, "Perfect…"

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **There, finally finished it… Ok, so it's gone midnight here, but I think it was worth it. :)**


	5. Gotcha!

**Hey guys, glad you've been enjoying this fic. My Stats graph is still broken, so thank you to everyone for the reviews, follows and favourites. Thanks also to everyone else who's read this, even if I don't know it… :)**

 **I apologise if today's fic isn't to my usual standards. A lot's been happening in recent months, and with Christmas right around the corner it's just come down on me like a tonne of bricks today. But I promised Stalka Christmas fics, and I'm honoured to keep that promise…**

 **Set Universe: Modern AU**

 **Age Range: Valka = 18, Stoick = 20**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "Yes I booby-trapped the presents because you do this** _ **every year**_ **!"**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Gotcha!**

 _Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…_

Sweet sugar cookies, that clock was trying to drive her crazy! Valka gave yet another restless sigh, shifting in bed for the hundredth time now. She had no idea what the time was, but it felt like she'd been awake for hours… She would've just read a book like she usually did, but the light was far too dim.

Valka had always been quite a bookworm. She started reading children's books when she was 2, and moved on to novels and text books just before her 6th birthday. When she was little, she used to be teased a lot for being an ' _egghead_ ' and a ' _know-it-all_ ', but her mother always assured her that her love of reading would bring her great things in life. And sure enough, her words came through. All that reading put her way ahead in school, so much so that it was recommended she should skip her last two years of elementary school and move straight to high school. Her many years of A's and perfect test scores helped her into Berk's most prestigious high school, where her books lead her to the greatest discovery of her life. _Him_ …

It was just another school day, and she was making the most of the school's library, having recently decided she wanted to become a vet. Her arms full of books, she hadn't seen him until she'd crashed into him. The books tumbled to the ground, but when he turned, she forgot all about them. He was tall and quite well-built, his blazing red hair pulled back in a short, stumpy ponytail, and his eyes a beautiful shade of green. Before she could even register what just happened, he had swooped down to pick up her books, giving her a smile that melted her heart.

As it turned out, he was just as taken with her, and upon discovering they were in the same year and had quite a few of the same classes, the two struggled to hide their feelings. But after months of endless wondering, he showed up on her doorstep with a bouquet of roses – much to her big brother's disapproval – and asked her to be his date to prom, and they'd been together ever since.

Not long before they graduated, he had fondly told her that he wanted to marry her someday, and that until then he didn't want to be away from her a moment longer than he had to. Of course she'd been nervous at first, but once he'd assured her his intentions were pure, she gladly agreed to share an apartment with him.

And so here they were, lying on the sofa bed in their living room, the room lit only by the glowing rainbow of light coming from the Christmas tree. Normally they slept in their own separate bedrooms, but one thing they both loved was sleeping in each other's arms by the light of the Christmas tree.

There was just one problem; Valka's curiosity would always get the better of her when it came to presents, and right now there was a generous pile of them under the tree. There was one in particular her boyfriend had been very reluctant to say anything about, and it was right at the front of the tree.

Valka cast a glance at the man she loved, who was fast asleep. _Surely opening_ _ **one**_ _present couldn't hurt, right?_

Carefully loosening his hold, she slowly wriggled out of his arms, slipped onto the floor, and crawled over to the tree. Using the rhythmic lights of the Christmas tree to see what she was doing, Valka pulled on the thin ribbon with all her strength. After much effort, the plastic-based ribbon had finally stretched enough to slip it off the box. Feeling around the box, she eventually found some loose paper; _her way in_ … She cringed as the paper ripped loudly, but thankfully her boyfriend's snoring kept him from waking up. Very slowly, she peeled away the wrapping, revealing a plain cardboard box. The curious teen smiled in success, but this success was short-lived, because the moment she opened the cardboard flaps, the trap went off.

Valka screamed as four party poppers went off, shooting tiny streamers back into the box. She immediately covered her mouth, but it was too late, her boyfriend's rumbling laugh carrying across the air.

"Stephen!" Valka cried, her heart pounding. "You scared me!"

"I know, that was the whole idea," he replied in the rich, heavy accent she loved so much, climbing out of bed. "You do this every year Val…"

Valka stood up, giving him a sheepish smile, barely visible in the dim coloured light.

Stephen chuckled, holding her close, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Love me forever?"

"I already do," he smiled, leading her back to their sofa bed. "Now come get some sleep…"

Valka grumbled a little, but did as she was told, lying down beside him.

Stephen sighed in relief as she drifted off to sleep. Thank goodness that trick present worked. He couldn't risk her finding that engagement ring…

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **That's Day 5 complete. Hopefully my dampened spirits haven't affected it too much. Your reviews always brighten my day, so I really hope to hear from you. Until tomorrow… :***


	6. Ok… That was Awkward…

**Hello again. I've got another movie universe fic for you today. :)**

 **I'm feeling a little better than yesterday. A little disappointed I didn't get a couple more reviews, but hopefully, I'll get a few more today. :)**

 **Set Universe: Prior-Film Franchise**

 **Age Range: Valka = 15, Stoick = 25**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "We're co-workers who hate each other but you had too much to drink at the Staff Christmas Party and admitted your love for me, and I don't know how to act around you now…**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Ok… That was Awkward…**

 _And her brother wondered why she didn't want to go to the Snoggletog Feast…_

First and foremost, the ale. She'd _always_ hated the smell of lots of ale in one confined place. Secondly, the noise of drunk, out-of-tune Vikings singing at the top of their lungs. And finally, _him_.

The 'him' in question was none other than the Chief's son, Stoick the Vast. Honestly, he wasn't that bad, but she hated the way he and his father handled the dragon raids. She'd been to them many times on the matter, but they never listened to a word she said. And Stoick made it quite clear he hated her just as much as she did him.

So naturally, she had hoped to just sneak out after the 'feasting' part was over, head home, and settle down with a good book. But things didn't go to plan. Her father had started one of his hour-long stories, and when she finally managed to get out, none other than Stoick Haddock was standing right outside.

"Hey Val…" he slurred, an idiotically wide smile on his face. "Did you know… your eyes sparkle… like staaaars…?"

Oh, he was drunk. He was very, _very_ drunk… And worse, he was at the top of a very high staircase. One slip, and he'd be down those steps faster than a night fury.

Groaning, Valka wrapped his heavily-padded arm around her shoulders, "Come on, I'll walk you home…"

Supporting his weight was a struggle, but eventually she made it to the Haddock household. The greatest issue was his constant flirting, and the urge to drop him that came with it…

"Alright, we're here…" Valka stated, unwrapping his arms from around her shoulders.

He clearly had other ideas, because the moment she turned to leave he grabbed her by the wrist, pulled her close, and kissed her passionately on the lips. His breath stank of ale, but aside from that, it wasn't too terrible. Just... _unexpected_ …

"I love you Valka…" Stoick slurred, his lips lightly resting against her.

She only just heard him, but she froze all the same. Surely he didn't just say what she thought he said, did he?

Prizing herself from his hold, she gave him a quick 'Happy Snoggletog', before disappearing into the night.

* * *

 _Awkward_. It was the only word that could be used to describe the days after. She'd barely seen him the following morning, but she waved that off as him recovering from what must be a very severe hangover. When he finally emerged from the Chief's house, he only gave her a small nod of recognition – she clearly remembered the soft flutter of her heart when their eyes met, and the startled shock that followed – before walking off to help his father. It wasn't until the next day they actually talked, where it quickly became obvious he had no recollection of how he got home after the feast, which would also include his rather forefront declaration of love.

Ever since then, Valka had found herself in the midst of a mighty storm of her own emotions. A part of her was glad he couldn't remember; it would spare her the humiliating rumours. But then again, what if he _had_ remembered? How would he respond? Her imagination had run wild trying to shape the unneeded answers more times than she'd like to admit. But why shouldn't it? After all, she'd always been a romantic. But it wasn't like she cared for him- no, she _hated_ him! So what did it matter either way?

One thing was certain. She had _absolutely_ no _clue_ how to act around him now.

"Morning Valka!" a cheerful voice called her name as she neared the forge.

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and for the first time in days, her head didn't feel like a mess. "Hey Gobber."

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Valka froze. Why was she here again? To rant about their heir's drunken antics? To verbal reassure herself that there was _nothing_ going on between then? To ask an old friend for some much needed advice…?

"You know, if you want me to do something with that sword, you can just ask me…"

Oh. Right… That…

"Sorry Gobber…" Valka apologised as she handed him the sword she'd given her brother for Snoggletog (which he had already managed to bend out of shape), shaking her head to rid herself of the endless doubts. "I just haven't been with it lately…"

Gobber took the sword, but his eyes were firmly focussed on her. He was her only real friend, and he'd noticed for days now that there was something not quite right about her.

Quickly glancing around outside, he set the sword down on his workbench, "Come with me…"

Valka followed him to the back of the forge, sitting down on a clean bench. The smithy leaned against a vertical beam in front of her, offering a soft smile, "Alright, tell me what's troubling you."

The girl took a deep breath and sighed, "Have you ever had someone you know get so incredibly drunk that they say things they wouldn't normally say, and then can't remember saying them later on?"

"Forget ' _someone I know_ ' doing that. _**I've**_ done that…" Gobber chuckled good-naturedly. "So, who's this about?"

"Stoick…" she admitted, silently blaming the cold weather for her reddened cheeks. "At the Snoggletog Feast, when I slipped out to head home, Stoick was stumbling around outside, drunk out of his mind. I couldn't just leave him there, so I helped him home. When we got there, he gave me this passionate kiss and told me… told me he loves me…"

Gobber's eyebrow shot up, a smirk following immediately after, "Did he now?"

Valka's blush deepened, "Yes, but he doesn't even remember how he got home that night… And I don't know how to act around him…"

Gobber thought for a moment before answering.

"An interesting fact about men… Men are more honest when they're drunk."

"Please tell me that's not just your excuse for drinking…"

"Just hear me out," the blacksmith insisted. "The only reason men aren't honest in the first place is because they're embarrassed. When they're drunk, they forget that they're embarrassed, so there's no reason for them not to be honest…"

"What does that have to do with Stoick?"

"He loves you Valka…"

Could it be? Was he _really_ in love with her? Then why hadn't he told her…?

Valka sighed, "Just answer me one question… If he really _does_ love me, why hasn't he told me before now? And why does he act like I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to him?"

"Because he's trying to protect you..." Gobber replied, a glint of sadness in his eyes. "Being the future chief, everything he does, everything he says, every choice he makes is judged by the village. And the one thing that'll be judged more than anything else, is when he takes a bride. For any girl he marries, the village will be expecting her to provide them with the next, dependable chief, and as much as it pains me seeing how you're treated around here, they don't believe you're capable of bearing that weight on your shoulders… Stoick loves you, but he doesn't want you to be hurt by all the expectation that'll be placed on you upon marrying him…"

Valka smiled a little, "I need to see him…"

The smithy smiled back, "Well, go on then! I've got work to do!"

* * *

It wasn't hard to find him. He was out in the forest with some other men, including some of his close friends. Ideally, it wasn't the time or place for talk of romance, but she couldn't wait a moment longer.

Ignoring the looks the other Vikings gave her, she walked up to the heir of Berk. "Stoick, I need to talk to you. It's important…"

He seemed surprised to see her, but agreed nonetheless. Once they were far enough aside so they couldn't be heard, she jumped straight into it.

"You know how you said you couldn't remember how you got home after the Snoggletog Feast?"

Stoick nodded, "Yeah, why?"

"I was the one who brought you home, and when I did, you told me you love me…" Valka explained. "Is it true? Do you love me?"

"Valka-"

"I want the truth Stoick."

Stoick sighed, "Yes, I d-"

He wasn't able to finish as her lips crashed on his. To her delight, his breath didn't stink of ale this time, but something much nicer. They could feel the others judging them from afar, but it was ok. None of them mattered…

" _ **OI! LIPS OFF MY SISTER!**_ "

Ok, maybe _one_ of them mattered…

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **2am, that's better than the last time I was late. :) Please let me know what you think, I'm off to get some rest…**


	7. Seriously, I Really Do Hate You

**I've got good news! It seems my Story Stats graph is working now, because I went to check if it was fixed yet, and I had** _ **139 VIEWS IN ONE DAY!**_ **:D That really made me happy; having only had a few reviews a day I was worried not many people liked it, but this really brightened my day and my Christmas. Heartfelt 'thank you's to you all! :)**

 **We've officially reached the halfway point, but some of my favourite one-shots are yet to come. This one in particular I've really been looking forward to; you'll see why… ;)**

 **Set Universe: Modern AU**

 **Age Range: Valka = 21, Stoick = 26**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "I know we hate each other but it's Christmas Eve and your flight was cancelled. Please come inside…"**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Seriously, I Really Do Hate You**

" _Pipsqueak!_ "

" _Muttonhead!_ "

" _ **ENOUGH!**_ "

The two cops fell silent, immediately turning to face their police chief.

The Chief sighed heavily to calm his anger, massaging his temple in frustration, "Haddock, Jorgenson, this has got to stop. I have you two in my office almost every week, and I have more important things to do than resolve your arguments."

The two cops glared at each other, and the Chief quickly continued, "Stephen, you're a fine cop, and you've done a lot for the BPD in your years of service. Valka, you may be the youngest policewoman we've ever had, but you're without doubt the best. The two of you are great assets to the Berk Police Department, but if you don't sort out your issues soon, I'll have no choice but to make you partners-"

" _ **What?!**_ "

"Do I make myself clear?" the Chief asked firmly, and they nodded in defeat. "Good. You may go."

The two cops stood up, making their way out of the Chief's office.

"Nice going, _hothead_ …" Valka spat.

"You wanna go, you-"

" _ **KEEP MOVING!**_ "

* * *

Valka hummed to herself as she reached her doorstep. Berk was always beautiful this time of year. Minnesota snow covered the ground, and every house was alive with colourful lights and decorations.

As she unlocked her door, her tan German shepherd tugged on his lead, growling protectively.

"What is it Cloudy?" Looking up, her eyes widened at an approaching figure. "Stephen?"

He was equally surprised to see her, "Valka? What are you doing here?"

"I _live_ here. I thought you were flying to New York tonight…" she replied, glancing at the suitcase beside him.

"Flight got cancelled… I was trying to find somewhere to stay while I wait for word from the airport…"

Valka sighed, opening her door and letting Cloudjumper run inside, "I know we hate each other, but it is Christmas Eve, so…"

"Really?"

The brunette nodded. She wasn't heartless, and he did look tired.

"Leave your shoes by the door please," she told him and he closed and locked the door, while she took off her boots and jacket to reveal her long brown skirt and yellow jumper.

Leaving his suitcase and shoes by the door, he walked into the lounge room, where she was already sitting on the sofa, her dog curled up beside her. It was nice and warm, with a small, glowing Christmas tree in the corner. One decoration in particular caught his eye; a large, majestic dragon with a bulky white body, clear blue eyes and handsome tusks.

"Please be careful with that. It was a Christmas present from my parents…" She sighed as she patted Cloudjumper, adding quietly, "Last one they ever gave me…"

"How come?"

She gave him an unimpressed look, her eyes saying all that needed to be said.

Realisation hit him in a sudden wave, and he found himself lost for words as he sat on the other end of the sofa. "Oh… I… I'm so sorry…"

Valka shrugged, not wanting him to see her as weak, "You didn't kill them…"

" _Kill them?!_ "

 _Great_ , now she _had_ to tell him… Giving a sigh, she prepared herself for the emotional turmoil, then began to explain.

"I was 12; my brother Simon was 18… Our father owned his own construction business. They were very professional, very well-respected, but didn't get very much business, so naturally we weren't very well-off back then… That night, I had a really bad stomach bug, and with me, when I'm sick the only thing you can guarantee I'll keep down are Digestives. You know, those English wheat biscuits…"

Stephen gave a silent nod, and she continued.

"One of our car's headlights was broken, so if anyone wanted to go out at night, someone had to go with them and hold an industrial flashlight to the window. As luck would have it we were out that night, so my brother offered to stay behind to look after me while they went out. An hour later, I woke up and my brother was pacing round the living room. My brother's a closed book – he has to be really worried about something before he starts showing it – so I knew something was wrong. He kept trying to reassure me they were ok, but eventually the police showed up and told us they'd been killed by a drunk driver. It was the only time I've ever seen my brother cry…"

"Valka…" No words followed; he was completely speechless.

"My brother took over our father's business, and I started police training as soon as I graduated. But that's why I get iffy about it sometimes… You couldn't understand…"

"I'm so sorry Val… I of all people should have realised you had your own reasons for being here, and I should have respected that…"

The brunette was silent for some time, before noticing something in his voice.

"' _You of all people_ '?"

Stephen sighed, "You shared your story. It's only fair that I share mine…"

Valka quietly stroked Cloudjumper's head, waiting for him to continue.

"I was an only child growing up. There were times I got a little lonely, but I was happy to be so close with my parents. They were just teenagers when they had me, so it wasn't too much of a surprise when Mum announced she was pregnant just before I turned 17," he explained, a faint twinkle in his eyes, like a great joy that had saddened with time. "But when the time came, there were complications in the labour. The doctors did everything they could, but she lost so much blood that they just couldn't save her…"

She couldn't remember ever feeling such sorrow for him, her eyes just starting to brim with tears, "And the baby?"

"A girl; we named her Molly. She put up a hard fight, but without a mother's love and nourishment, she just slipped away in her sleep..." Stephen wiped a single tear from his eye before it could fall, but inside, his heart was breaking. He hadn't known her for long, but he'd loved that little girl, and would've moved mountains for her.

"Dad was devastated when Mum died, so much so that he couldn't bring himself to live here anymore. Once I graduated, he gave me the choice to stay here, or go with him to New York and start over. It was tempting, but when I remembered how much she loved it here, I decided to stay, become a cop, and dedicate myself to protecting her home…"

Valka felt herself smile, suddenly not finding his company so repulsive. Come to think of it, he was kind of sweet when you got to know him…

"I guess we really do have our own reasons for being here, don't we?"

"Yeah," he smiled back. "I guess we do…"

The moment was broken when his stomach growled, his cheeks turning a soft pink, "Sorry… I skipped dinner because I thought I'd be eating on the plane."

Valka chuckled a little, "I'd offer to make you something, but I can barely stomach my own cooking…"

Stephen gave a booming laugh – strangely enough, she couldn't help but like the way it rumbled in his chest – and he rose to his feet, "Let me see what I can do…"

* * *

Had she known he could cook like this, she would've invited him over a _long_ time ago. After a quick dash to the shops, he pretty much took over her kitchen, which had resulted in the best spaghetti and meatballs she'd ever had.

"Where did you learn to cook like this?" Valka smiled as he sat beside her, pouring out two glasses of sparkling grape juice.

"My father used to work a lot, so Mum and I had a lot of free time to cook together…" he replied, handing her a glass. "Cheers…"

Mentally scolding herself for the blush threatening to invade her cheeks, she gently chinked her glass with his, "Cheers."

Smiling warmly at each other, they both took a sip, Stephen almost choking on his when some of the bubbles went up her nose, causing the most adorable sneeze he'd ever heard. Once they finally stopped laughing, their eyes met once more, as an invisible force-field pulled them together. Their eyes closed as they got closer and closer, until they were only a hair's breadth away from each other. But before they could kiss, the sudden ringing of his phone ruined the moment, bringing them back to reality.

"Hello?"

Valka went back to her meal, hoping she didn't look as embarrassed as she felt.

"Already?"

That didn't sound good.

"Ok, thanks. I'll be there soon."

Definitely not good. Not good at- _Wait, what?_

"That was the airport. My plane's leaving in 2 hours…"

"Oh… Ok…"

The rest of their meal was eaten in silence. It had suddenly dawned on them both that they actually enjoyed each other's company, and neither really wanted him to leave.

When his taxi arrived, Valka watched sadly as he put his suitcase in the back, then turned away to head back inside.

"Valka?"

The brunette turned, and found his warm green eyes fixed on her.

"Listen, I know we hate each other…" he began, smiling softly as he took a step towards her. "But when I get back, would you perhaps like to go on a date?"

"What about work? You know the BPD has strict rules about relationships in the workplace…"

"Then we'll just have to fight even more than usual," Stephen smirked.

"We'll drive Chief crazy!"

"Is that a 'yes'?"

Valka beamed, suddenly realising she liked this playful side of him. "Yes. I'd love to go on a date…"

Smiling widely, Stephen gently kissed her hand before walking to the cab, "Don't miss me too much, _Pipsqueak_ …"

She laughed, hoping the night hid her blush, "Keep dreaming, _Muttonhead_ …"

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **See what I mean… ;) I hope you liked this as much as I did. See you tomorrow…**


	8. Snow Day for Two Please

**Day 8 today. :) When I was trying to decide which Christmas AU's from that list to do, I managed to get it down to 13, but there were two I just couldn't choose between. It took some time to decide but eventually… I chose both! :D**

 **As I said, this is a combination of two different Christmas AU's. I accidentally overslept today, so I haven't had a lot of time to work on it, but I hope you still like it. :)**

 **Set Universe: Modern AU**

 **Age Range: Valka = 16, Stoick = 18**

 **Featured Christmas AU: Snowball fights + Pulling you in for a kiss with a scarf.**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Snow Day for Two Please**

 _Tap._

Valka looked up from her novel, unsure whether she actually heard the tell-tale skip of pebbles on glass, or if it was just wishful thinking.

 _Tap. Tap._

Forgetting to bookmark her page, she dropped her book, rushed to the glass door on the other side of the room, and stepped into the night. Cold winter breeze dancing through her long chocolate locks, she slowly walked up to the balcony railing, and sure enough, he was there.

Smiling down at her boyfriend, she leaned over the railing and teased quietly, "Couldn't stay away, could you Stephen?"

"Come down, I want to show you something…"

Her heart beating wildly, she quickly tugged on her coat and boots, before running back to the balcony. Putting all her faith in him, she carefully stepped over the railing, letting herself fall into his protective arms.

She blushed as he set her on her feet, smiling sweetly at him, "Sneaking out sure is harder without our tree…"

Up until a few days ago, there was a large tree growing beside her balcony, which the young lovebirds would use to get to their secret meetings.

"What happened to our tree anyway?"

Valka giggled, "My brother. He didn't like knowing there was a way for you to sneak in without him knowing, so he chopped the whole thing down."

Stephen chuckled, "Fair enough, but it won't stop me from coming to see you…"

She quickly found herself blushing again. They'd only met a couple months ago, but they were one of those couples that didn't need long to fall so very much in love. Before they met she was a shy, lonely girl with only her books and her puppy for companionship, but now, he was the light of her life, and she couldn't imagine a day without him.

"So? Where are we going?"

He just smiled, bowing dramatically as he offered her his hand, "This way, my dear…"

* * *

"Watch your step. Just round here, and… ok, now…"

Valka opened her aqua-coloured eyes, and they widened with joy as she saw where they were. The ground was covered in a thick blanket of snow and the lake was frozen, but it was clearly the park where they first met.

"Stephen…"

He chuckled, holding her from behind, "Beautiful… And the scenery's not bad either."

The brunette laughed, playfully shoving him away, "Oh, how cliché…"

"Do I still get a kiss?"

"Well…" Valka leaned in, but at the last second she darted away from him, leaving him holding empty air. "Only if you can catch me?"

Stephen's eyes snapped open, but she was already off and running.

"I am so getting you for that!"

Picking up a handful of snow, Stephen pressed it into a firm, round snowball, took aim, and landed it squarely between his girlfriend's shoulders.

Freezing in her tracks, she gave him a dangerous smile, running at him with snow in her hands.

One after another, snowball after snowball was tossed through the air, moonlight reflecting off the powdered balls as they explodes on their target's clothing. Warm laughter echoed in the night, alive with joy and love, as snowflakes danced on the wind like tiny crystal ballerinas…

* * *

It was almost midnight by the time they made it back, but neither had any complaints. Who really cared if they were so-called ' _young and reckless_ '? And so what if love was something that must be fought for? As he walked her home that night, stopping every so often for her to admire the Christmas lights that adorned various houses they passed, he knew that what they had was real, and that he'd do anything to prove his love for her.

"I just realised something…"

Stephen turned to his girlfriend, holding her close to protect her from the cold, "What's that?"

"How am I going to get back inside? All the door are locked, and I can't climb our tree up to the balcony…"

He had to admit, he hadn't thought of that. Picking a lock would be too risky, but she'd freeze if she stayed outside all night. They could try climbing the roof, but it was probably iced over, and he couldn't put her in danger like that.

"I guess I'll just have to bring you home with me…"

Valka bit her lip, "I don't know… Won't you get in trouble?"

Stephen waved it off, "I can't just leave you out here. You can have my bed. Or the sofa; whichever's more comfortable…"

The brunette felt herself blushing deeply, and asked shyly, "Could I _maybe_ just… cuddle up with you?"

Stephen blushed a little, taking off his scarf and using it to hold her close, "For you, my dear, anything…"

Valka smiled, placing a tender kiss on his lips. It wasn't their first, but it was soft and sweet, and the perfect little reminder that their love would last…

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Awwww, those cuties. ;) There's only a few more days until Christmas, but I have a feeling you'll like the remaining four…**

 **I also have a special announcement coming up, so keep an eye out for that. See you tomorrow everyone! :)**


	9. While You Were Sleeping

**I think this is my favourite one yet! :D I hope you love it as much as I do…**

 **Set Universe: Prior-Film Franchise**

 **Age Range: Valka = 15, Stoick = 25**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "You're in the hospital for the holidays so I came in while you were sleeping to decorate your room, I love you, Merry Christmas…"**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **While You Were Sleeping**

Winter snowflakes fell over Berk, the cold breeze wiping the sweat from the working Vikings as they went about their daily tasks.

Despite the bitter cold, the spirits of the Berkians were reasonably high. Snoggletog was right around the corner, and everyone was looking forward to the ridiculously-named, yet highly-anticipated holiday. In every house, fireplaces and lintels were decorated with holly and helmets, empty sacks on the floor nearby.

However, the greatest gift Snoggletog could offer was a rare sense of security. No one knew why, but the dragons almost never attacked during the winter, which allowed everyone some much needed rest. Well, _almost_ everyone…

A bowl of her mother's chicken soup in hand, Valka quietly slipped into the back room of Gothi's hut. Her healing mentor was running errands, and left her to look after their important patient. There had been a minor dragon raid the night before; no buildings were lost, but Stoick Haddock – son of Halvard the Protector and future chief of Berk – had received a nasty cut to the stomach.

Valka sat down on the edge of the bed, and he immediately woke up.

"I brought you some of my mum's soup…"

Stoick smiled, and she felt her heart melt. No one knew it, but she secretly had a really big crush on his.

"Thank you…"

Valka smiled softly at him, carefully spoon-feeding him the warm mixture. Gothi didn't want him to move too much to prevent him reopening his wound.

Heavy footsteps caught her attention, and she turned to see Stoick's father walking into the hut.

"Good morning Chief," Valka greeted warmly, setting the bowl down on the bedside table.

"Ah, Valka!" Halvard smiled back as he entered the room. "Pleasure to see you."

Valka had to keep herself from raising a suspicious eyebrow. It was no secret she believed peace with the dragons was possible, and everyone in the village except Stoick and Gobber judged her because of it. So why was the Chief being so… _friendly_ …?

Not wanting to seem rude, she responded with a small, slightly unsure smile, "Thank you sir."

"So, how's he doing?"

Valka stood up to meet his eye level – as best she could with his height – not noticing Stoick's gaze linger on her, "Pretty well. The wound wasn't deep enough to cause any internal damage, but because of where the wound is, any form of getting up and moving about could pop the stitching."

"How long will he have to stay?"

"A couple weeks…"

Stoick sighed sadly, and it wasn't too hard to guess why. Snoggletog only came once a year, and this year, he'd miss it al.

"Valka, could you give u a moment?"

"Of course," she smiled softly, leaving the room. He seemed so sad, and all she wanted to do was bring him some Snoggletog cheer.

Suddenly getting an idea, a smile took hold on her face, and she rushed out of Gothi's hut.

* * *

Valka hummed to herself as she made her way through the village, carrying a large box. So far, so good. She'd managed to find some leftover holly and the vanilla-scented candles she'd bought from Trader Johann – who knew when she'd be able to get more, but he was worth it – but it wasn't enough just yet.

Running up to the forge, she smiled at her best friend, "Hey Gobber, do you have any Snoggletog decorations I can have?"

"Mornin' lass!" he greeted merrily, pulling out a box of decorations and putting it on the back bench. "Feel free to take whatever you can find."

"Thanks," Valka smiled as she slipped into the forge. He might be 15 years older than her, but he really was a true friend.

"No problem. How's Stoick doing by the way?"

"Not too bad," she replied, going through the box. "But he'll be stuck at Gothi's right through Snoggletog, so I'm going to bring some Snoggletog to him…"

Gobber cooed a little, smirking at her, "That's awfully sweet of you…"

The girl blushed, putting stuff into her box, "It's not like that Gobber…"

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he chuckled. "After all, he's strong, loyal, protective of those he cares about, and he is quite good-looking…"

She shouldn't. She _really_ shouldn't, but she just couldn't herself. Taking a long moment to make sure no one was around, she leaned closer and teased, "Something you're not telling me Gobber?"

Gobber whirled around, a look of horror on his face, and she quickly held up her hands in defence, "I _promise_ I looked before I said anything."

The smithy immediately relaxed, adopting his own playful tone, "Hold it, missy. I admit Stoick's a nice guy, but he's your territory."

He threw her a wink, but she still felt bad, "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have said anything…"

"It's alright, lass," he assured her. "It was my decision to tell you…"

"I still don't get why you told me in the first place…"

The blacksmith chuckled, taking out some polish and working on a new sword, "Every man needs one female best friend to be his voice of reason…"

"Well ok, but I don't get why you told _me_ …" the young Viking clarified, gingerly fingering a holly leaf. "I mean, I'd get you telling Stoick; you've been friends since you were just kids. But why tell me?"

Gobber sighed, setting down his work and turning to face her, "Because you have something no one else in this village has: you understand what it's like to be different. You know how it feels to know you'd be judge for what you believe; what's in your heart… Unlike me, you aren't afraid to show people who you really are. I only wish I could be that brave…"

Putting her box of decorations aside, she approached him with a tender smile, "You _are_ brave Gobber… Your situation's just a bit different from mine. People knowing my secret means I'm seen as foolish. People knowing your secret would mean you'd be seen as abnormal…"

Gently taking his one remaining hand, she looked him straight in the eyes, "Even I find it a little strange sometimes, but I'd _never_ treat you any differently because of it…"

The older man smiled. The wealth of wisdom within this 15-year old girl never seized to amaze him, and even if no one else saw it, she'd do great things for this village someday…

"That, my girl, is why I trust you with my secret. And I'm certain a certain heir would be more than lucky to have you…"

Valka blushed, "Voicing my views on the dragons is one things; voicing love for Stoick the Vast is something completely different…"

"You do love him, don't you?"

"Of course I do, but just think what the village would say…' Grabbing one of her braids, she held it under her nose like a moustache, putting on her best 'Viking' accent, "' _Valka's no Viking. She's a demon-loving witch who wants use her dark magic to corrupt our next Chief into letting the dragons run wild_ '…"

"You don't know that…"

"I just have to face it. Stoick will soon marry a big, strong Viking woman, and I…" She paused, reluctant to admit the true to herself. "I'll be nothing but a memory…"

The forge grew silent. Taking a deep breath, Valka picked the box back up, "Thanks for the decorations Gobber."

"Anytime Valka, happy Snoggletog!"

"Happy Snoggletog."

Giving the blacksmith one last smile, she began her journey back to Gothi's. Gobber watched her go, a knowing smile creeping to his lips, "Ah lass, if only you knew…"

* * *

Stoick yawned as he woke up, remembering just in time to be careful not to stretch too much. His head was still propped up a little, so when his vision focused, his eyes widened in awe. Coloured lanterns hung from the rafters, similar to the ones in town but smaller. Three creamy-white glowed on the bedside table, nestled securely in a bed of holly and pine needles, and beside him lay a smooth piece of wood, with four small, glistening bells tied around it.

Picking it up, he gave it a gentle shake. The soft sound was sweet and comforting, and suddenly he didn't feel so alone…

"I see you're up…"

Stoick looked up, and saw Valka walking into the room, her ever-present smile making his heart beat faster.

"Valka… Did you do all this?" the heir asked, setting the bells down beside him.

"Yeah," she replied, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "I felt bad that you'd be snuck in here for Snoggletog, so I decided to bring a little bit of Snoggletog to you."

A wide smile appeared on his face, and if you looked closely, you could also see the hint of a blush dust his cheeks the softest shade of red. "You did all this, for me?"

Without thinking, she smiled and answered, "Of course I did. I love you…"

Stoick's eyes widened, and she immediately realised her mistake.

"I… I'm sorry, I… i… I have to go…" Valka stammered, getting to her feet.

"Valka…"

She didn't stop, and he began to panic. This was his _one_ _ **last**_ chance. If he blew this, he might lose her forever. He had to act, and he had to act now.

Just as she was out of the room, a scream of agony made her stop, followed by the sound of his painfully calling her name.

"Stoick?" she responded, rushing back into the room.

"My wound; I think it's bleeding…"

Quickly sitting on the edge of his bed, she opened the slit in his tunic, but the wound was still perfectly stitched.

Without warning, his large hand cupped the back of her neck, bringing her down for a passionate kiss. She made a small squeak of protest, but quickly caved, kissing him back with all her heart. When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless, and smiling from ear to ear.

"I love you."

It didn't seem possible, but somehow her smile widened, "You do?"

Stoick blushed, nodding shyly, "I've been trying to get your attention for months, but nothing I did seemed to be working. So I went to Gobber, and he told me to stop being a Viking and start being the man who loves you. I was going to ask for your hand-in-courtship at the feast; that's why I was so upset that I couldn't go…"

Valka gently stroked his cheek, "Well, you could ask me now…"

"Valka… Would you allow me to court you?"

"I thought you'd never ask… Happy Snoggletog…"

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Wow that took forever, but I'm happy. :) For anyone who doesn't know, yes Gobber is homosexual, but I don't know if she knows. I just thought that scene would be a nice touch. See you tomorrow!**


	10. Knight in Shining Armour… With No Boots…

**Wow, today has been soooo busy! Grocery shopping, last-minute Christmas shopping (we now have an adorable little train to go round the tree, and hopefully keep the cats out of it), finishing wrapping presents,** _ **and**_ **baking the gingerbread we made yesterday! And of course, tomorrow is Christmas Eve! :D**

 **I have to admit I'm a little behind in writing these. The ideas are there, but unfortunately the time isn't. I'll do my best to get them up in time, but I don't want to sacrifice quality for speed, so it might be a little late.**

 **Set Universe: Prior-Film Franchise**

 **Age Range: Valka = 16, Stoick = 26**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "I slipped on ice outside your house and you ran out barefoot to help me, quick let's get inside under a blanket…"**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Knight in Shining Armour… With No Boots…**

The sun was barely visible in the Berk sky, thick, heavy storm clouds looming overhead. Everyone was dashing about in a state of urgency, moving so fast their feet barely touched the ground. The village elder had predicted a mighty storm in the coming days, but it had arrived far sooner than expected.

Within the hustle and bustle, Valka made her way back from the Great Hall. Her mother often helped in making extra meals in crises like this, and she had just taken her latest batch of bread to the hall.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice a pack of ice in front of her. Not until it was too late that is. Giving a yelp, she fell to the ground, just managing not to hit her head.

"Valka!"

The brunette looked up and smiled. As luck would have it, she had fallen right outside the Chief's house. And sure enough, the Chief's son, Stoick the Vast, came racing out to her side.

"Are you alright?" he asked, helping her back up.

"Much better," she replied, giving him a secret smile only he would know. No one knew, but the two had been secretly dating for months now, and couldn't be happier.

"Wait, you're not wearing boots…"

So that was why his feet were so cold…

"Guess I just couldn't wait to see you…"

Valka giggled, taking his hand, "Come on, let's go inside…"

* * *

Before long, the two were settled inside, cuddled up on the sofa beside the fire, a large fur blanket resting over them.

Valka giggled softly, liking the way his beard tickled her neck as he kissed her cheeks, "We really shouldn't be doing this…"

The heir raised a playful eyebrow, " _This_?"

"You know, hiding out in here…"

"We're just kissing…" he insisted, gently nuzzling her cheek. "Is that so wrong?"

Valka blushed, shyly shaking her head. Sweet Freya, she loved him…Their love might not make sense, but somehow she knew they were meant to be.

Returning her smile with one of his own, he held her close once more, the young lovers sharing a deep kiss by the warmth of the hearth. So lost in each other, the pair almost didn't notice the front door burst open, or the shocked look on the Chief's face as he spotted them.

"My apologies, am I interrupting something?" Halvard asked, raising a meaningful eyebrow at his son.

Had she not been so busy trying to contain her blush, she would've laughed at her secret boyfriend's sudden stammering.

" _Father_?! You said you wouldn't be back until late! I mean- it's not- _we're_ not… I can explain!"

Halvard crossed his arms, using one hand to gesture towards them, "That you've been secretly dating Ralphlout's daughter for the past three months? It would appear you don't need to…"

The young lovers looked at each other. How could he have known? They were so careful…

Stoick looked back at his father, unsure how to respond, "You knew?"

"Somewhat…" his father replied, stroking his grey-streaked beard. "I knew you've been sneaking off to meet with a young woman, but I didn't know who."

Valka took a wary step towards the man, "You're not upset?"

The Chief took his time before answering, and she felt herself grow progressively more nervous. He'd never been a big fan of her, and she could only imagine what he'd think of her now…

"I may not appreciate your view of the dragons, but I can see how happy you make my son," he explained, offering her a small smile. "So, you have my blessing…"

Beaming, Stoick took Valka into his strong, protective arms, "Thank you Father…"

"You're welcome," Halvard chuckled, before turning to Valka, "But you'd better get home. The storm will set in soon…"

Stoick frowned, holding her a little closer, "But you said yourself, we could be stuck inside for days. This is the first time in weeks Val and I have had just to ourselves…"

Halvard sighed, heading towards the door, "Alright, I'll talk to Ralphlout. But Stoick?"

"Yes?"

"I know I said I wanted grandchildren, but let's try to keep it to after the marriage, shall we?"

Throwing his son a quick smirk, the Chief's slipped back out, leaving his son a blushing mess in front of his girlfriend.

Valka blushed lightly, "Do you think we will have children someday?"

The future chief took a deep breath to calm his nerves, sitting back down on the sofa, "I hope so… I'd love to have a family with you…"

The young Viking smiled, laying back down in the warmth and safety of his arms. Within the hour, the storm had taken hold at full force, squalling winds and frozen rain pelting down on the village. Standing away from the main village, the Chief's house was most at threat, but when Halvard the Protector finally made it inside, his son and quite probably future daughter-in-law were fast asleep in each other's arm with a nice, warm blanket over them…

And no boots on…

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Not as long as I would've liked, but then again, there's nothing wrong with short and sweet. :) See you Christmas Eve. :***


	11. For You My Dear, Anything

**Merry Christmas Eve! :) One more sleep til Christmas (or rest in my case, I want to make the finale the best it can be for you), but I'm happy you could find the time to read today's instalment.**

 **I just checked my Traffic Graph for this story, and it's had- wait for it… over 780 views in the last 6 days! :D I had been hoping for a little more than 36 reviews (roughly 3 per chapter so far) but there's still time, so I truly hope to hear your thoughts…**

 **Set Universe: Modern AU**

 **Age Range: Valka = 18, Stoick = 19**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "There's a storm and oh my gosh, I'm losing signal, are you okay? Hold on, let me drive miles to get to you the night before Christmas…"**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **For You My Dear, Anything**

 _It was the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a teenage boy head-over-heels in love with the girl of his dreams…_

Ok, that was total lie. His parents might have gone to bed some time ago, but Stephen Haddock was far from asleep. Instead, he was lying on the living room sofa, watching the rhythmic coloured lights of the Christmas tree as a vicious snowstorm raged outside, with his cell phone gently pressed to his ear.

" _I really wish I could be in your arms right now…_ "

Stephen smiled at his girlfriend's voice. He'd never admit it over the phone, but his cheeks were almost as red as his hair. He always loved her telling him she needed him, because in truth, he needed her just as much.

"Same here, especially with the weather being this bad… I wish I was there to protect you."

The rumble of thunder echoed above, and he heard her yelp through the phone. She'd had some ' _bad experiences_ ' during storms when she was little, so now any storm strong enough to be physically heard would frighten her.

"Please don't go…" she begged.

"I won't," he assured her. "I promise…"

At that moment, he heard a loud bang on her end of the phone, accompanied by her terrified scream, then the line went dead.

"Valka?!" Panicked, he tried to call her back, but the line couldn't get through. Tugging on his snow shoes, he scribbled his parents a quick note, then drove out into the night. He made his sweetheart a promise, and a little storm couldn't keep him from his love…

* * *

"Ok, that should do it…"

Valka nodded at her mother, putting down a bag of tea-light candles. She always hated storms, but this was the worst she could remember. Her talk with Stephen had been cut short when the storm took the power out, taking the phone signal with it. Her father had gone out to try and get hold of the power company, while she and her mother lit candles around the house.

Her thoughts were broken by a knock on the door, and when she answered it, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Stephen? What are you doing here?" she asked as she let him in.

"You screamed just as the phone cut out," he explained as he followed her inside, clearly cold and uncomfortable. "I had to know you were safe…"

"You poor thing, you're soaked to the bone!" Valka's mother turned to a shape in the darkness. "Simon, could you lend Stephen some of your clothes?"

"Why?" Valka's brother snapped, glaring at Stephen. "It was his choice to come here!"

"Simon!"

Their mother was about to scold him further when Valka intervened, giving her a confident smirk.

"That's ok Simon. I guess I'll just get to see my boyfriend shirtless…"

The second the words left her lips, her overprotective brother's flashlight – and glare – focussed on Stephen, "You. With Me. _Now._ "

With that, Simon led Stephen to his room, and Valka shared a high-five with her mother. When the boys came back in, her father informed them the power should be back by morning. After that, Simon and her parents decided to head off to bed, but the young lovers just couldn't resist spending time together.

"Typical…" Valka sighed. "Most festive night of the year and everything's out…"

"How about some Christmas songs?"

"I can't. My phone's dead."

Stephen chuckled, handing her his phone. He had opened a playlist named 'Winter Love', and when she looked, she found it was a mix of all her favourite Christmas albums.

"So, what'll it be?" he asked, taking his phone back. "Some Michael Bublé? A little Idina Menzel?"

"A little challenge for you. My favourite Christmas song."

Stephen smiled, carefully going through the playlist until he found the right song, then hit 'play'.

Valka blushed as the familiar soft music began to play. Of course she hadn't doubted for a moment that he'd pick the right one, but it made her feel so special to know he knew her so well. And as an added bonus, that favourite Christmas song made for the perfect winter waltz…

Putting down his phone, he bowed and offered her his hand, "Shall we, my dear?"

Blushing a little more, she nodded, taking his hand.

' _This winter's night, stars shine like silver bells._

 _This winter's night, mistletoe won't kiss and tell._

 _Snowflakes fall like frosting and I sit on the street._

 _Strangers look like neighbours with every smile that you meet…_ '

It amazed her how something as swaying in his arms could be so perfect. Like some kind of magic that could only be uncovered by the truest of loves…

' _But here in my arms I'll keep you warm, and hold you tight…_

 _On this winter's night (We'll look back on the year)…_

 _On this winter's night (We'll count our blessings)…_

 _On this winter's night, we will remember…_ '

He leaned his head closer to her, hoping to hear her soft, sweet voice singing along. Her voice was by far the most beautiful one he'd ever heard, and he'd often catch himself yearning for it.

' _This winter's night, icicle lights will trim the tree._

 _This winter's night, wrapped a present or two for you and me._

 _Tuck our children into bed and dream the night away…_

 _Til' the sun dawns in the morning with the joy of Christmas day…_ '

Valka took a quiet breath, before letting the words flows from her lips, " _But here in my arms I'll keep you warm, and hold you tight…_ "

Stephen beamed as her angelic voice met his ears. Holding her safely in his arms, he glided her around the dimly lit room, pausing every so often to gracefully twirl her.

" _The wise man heard the angels sing, Him like soft and robe… The king became a child a long long time ago…_ " The words rolled off her tongue so perfectly, and he fell more in love with every sound, gently dipping her as she sang out with all the light in her heart, " _And the child became a king so the whole wide world will know… What Christmas really is…_ "

The music picked up slightly, and he took the opportunity to sweep her off her feet. The world blurred around her as they waltzed elegantly, but she was too lost in his eyes to really care.

" _On this winter's night, we will remember…_ "

* * *

That song was followed by many more after it, and soon hour after hour rolled by, spent solely on romantic, candle-lit dances. At around 2am, the power came back on, colourful Christmas lights aglow once more. But neither one noticed. Nor did they care. Their eyes were fixed on something far brighter…

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **One moment… *shoves face in pillow and…** _ **FANGIRLS!**_ *** I think I have a new favourite! :D Oh my Stalka, this is just- AWWWWWW! Anyway, it's gone midnight here, so Merry Christmas to all! And to all a good night! :)**

Oh, and the song is 'On This Winter's Night' by Lady Antebellum. (:


	12. Enough with the Boxes!

**Here we are, the final one! Thank you to everyone for reading, reviewing and following this fic, and I want to wish each and every one of you a magical, fun-filled Christmas and a Happy New Year! :D**

 **Since it's Christmas Day, I saved the best for last. This is also a continuation of 'Gotcha!' but if you like you can read it as a separate fic. :) Enjoy, and Happy Snoggletog!**

 **Set Universe: Modern AU**

 **Age Range: Valka = 18, Stoick = 20**

 **Featured Christmas AU: "I did that annoying thing where I put loads of smaller boxes inside one big box and you're getting really mad but you don't know that the ring is in the smallest box and I can't wait to see your face."**

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **Enough with the Boxes!**

"Valka Jorgenson, you are such a hypocrite!"

Valka laughed at her boyfriend as he turned the present over in his hands for the 20th time, "How so?"

Stephen rolled his eyes in amusement, "You hate not being able to open your own presents, but when you give presents to people you all but wrap them in sticky tape!"

"Hey! Wrapping presents is my favourite part of Christmas. I won't have you undoing all my hard work in two seconds flat," she replied with an impish grin.

Smiling back, he reached into his jeans and pulled out a small pocket knife, holding it up to emphasise his next point, "You, my dear, are the reason I need a pocket knife on Christmas."

Valka giggled as he cut through the paper (pausing to give her a look when he discovered she'd double-wrapped it), watching nervously as he opened the box.

"Val, this is perfect. I love it," he smiled as he slipped the gold watch onto his wrist.

"I hope its ok… To be honest, there was this Rolex I wanted to get you the year before last, but I couldn't afford it," she confessed, rubbing her arm. "I've been saying for it the last two years, but when I went in to get it they'd discontinued it…"

Stephen looked at her with all the love in the world, gently taking her hands, "Hey… I don't need a Rolex. I just need you…"

The teen smiled, leaning over to kiss him, but he held a finger to her lips. Smiling a secret smile, he reached under the tree, retrieving one last gift and handing it to her.

"Open your special present first…"

Giving him a warm smile, she set it down in front of her, tearing off the wrapping to reveal a decorative gift box with ' _My Dearest Valka_ ' written in glitter glue on the lid. Judging by the sheer beauty and elegance of the font, he must have taken a lot of care to write those three words. Smiling in excitement, she lifted the lid off to find…

Valka's brow furrowed in confusion. The only thing in the box was an old photo, which appeared to be resting on another smaller decorative box. Looking closer at the photo, she could see it was the two of them in freshmen year. In fact, this was the first photo they ever took together.

"I don't understand…" she admitted slowly, not wanting to upset him.

Stephen simply smiling, nodding towards the photo, "Turn it over…"

Sure enough, a message was written in his everyday handwriting on the back of the photo-paper.

' _The day we met, you stole my heart, and I never wanted it back.'_

Valka smiled, putting the photo aside and opening the next box, finding that he'd repeated the same process.

' _You quickly became my best friend, but then became something more.'_

This photo was clearly from their first prom. His mother was a professional photographer, and had been hired to capture the night. After 400 hundred photos and 3 painstaking hours at her computer, she narrowed it down to her best 360, but by far her pride and joys of the bunch were the romantic couple poses she'd taken of her treasured son and his girlfriend.

The next box was the same as the two before, and she couldn't help but sigh in an unimpressed tone, "Stephen, I love you dearly, but if my ' _special present_ ' is a pile of boxes and some old photos, please just tell me now…"

Stephen barely managed to hide a knowing smile. She didn't know just what was in the final box, and he could barely wait to see her face when she found out, "I assure you, there is something in there. Just two more, I promise…"

Valka sighed, going back to the box.

' _You're my friend in times of joy.' 'My crying-shoulder in times of pain.' 'And my rock in times of trial…'_

There were three photos this time. The first was from the day he took her to see the Berk Hooligans ice hockey game against the Northern Icebreathers. Berk failed miserably, but they still had wonderful time together. The second was a glimpse from less happier times, as it showed the young couple huddled up in the rain before a newly planted gravestone. His mother's death had hit him hard, but through it all she remained his shining light. And the last one was from the week of their final exams. It was rough, but with each other's help they both pulled through.

' _For you my dear, I'd do anything.'_

By now the boxes were so small that the pictures had to be folded in order to fit. It wasn't really a photo of 'them' – just their silhouettes holding hand as the sun set over the ocean – but she loved it dearly.

Her heart beating with excitement, Valka fished out the final box. It was surprising light, but given the box was only the size of her palm, whatever was in it wasn't very big. Pulling off the lid, her smile faded slightly as she found nothing but another old photo, this time crumpled into a tight ball.

Trying to hide her crushing disappointment, she flattened out the photo. Strangely, unlike the rest of the photos, they weren't in the picture. In fact, it wasn't even their photo. It was just an ordinary photo from Google of the Space Needle in Seattle; the one that made her want to go there for their…

Her eyes widen, dozens of unexplained moments and unanswered questions knitting together in her mind. The secrecy, the misleading messages, the desperate attempt to save-guard a seemingly empty box…

Hands shaking, Valka turned the photo over, and there is was… His late mother's ruby engagement ring – the same ring he knew she had hoped would one day go to her – was taped to the back, glistening in the light.

' _Will you marry me?'_

Her free hand covering her mouth, she gave a muffled sob, "This is the most romantic proposal I could ever imagine…"

Stephen smiled hopefully, "So is that a 'yes'?"

Laughing in spite of her tears, she threw herself into his strong arms, "You big goofball! Of course it's a 'yes'!"

Beaming at each other, the two shared a passionate kiss, and cliché as it sounds, his mother's ring was a perfect fit…

 **.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

 **And this that, I bring this Stalka Christmas fic to a close… Just kidding! ;) But I am sorry this is so so late. I was working on it all night last night but I just couldn't get it done.**

 **As a special Christmas present for my loyal readers, I will be posting an extra fic on New Year's Eve, and best of all, you can choose what it's about! As of now, you can find a '12 Days of Stalka' poll on my profile. From there, you can vote for your preference on what the New Year special should be about. So make sure to cast your vote, and I'll see you on New Year's Eve… :)**


	13. AN Don't Forget to Vote!

**Hey Dragon-lovers, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. (:**

 **As I said in the last chapter, I will be posting a bonus chapter to celebrate the start of 2016, and you get to vote on what it should be about. :D**

 **Here's the problem though; since being posted, Day 12 has been viewed almost 90 times, but of those almost 90 views only four people have voted and the results are all tied up. I'm more than happy to write a New Year's Special for my beloved readers and fellow Stalka-shippers, but I don't have the time to write 5 different one-shots in case I get another voter last minute.**

 **So please head on over to my profile and cast your vote. You can vote for up to 2 of 10 different ideas inspired by the previous '12 Days of Stalka'. Voting closes New Year's Eve.**

 **Thanks everyone. Happy flying. :)**


	14. AN New Year's Special

**Hey guys, me again. I regret to inform you that despite my best efforts, of the 58 people that viewed my AN only one voted, which didn't make it any easiest to determine which plotline should be used. Thank you to that one person – whoever you are :) – but I'm afraid I won't be posting the New Year's Special tonight.**

 **However, I won't be scarping it entirely. I will be posting all of them next Christmastime as a recap/sequel series, with the most anticipated plotline being posted next New Year's Eve. I'll leave the poll up and use it to determine the order.**

 **Happy New Year to you all, and have a wonderful 2016. :)**


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